Skylight mounting



c. H. STARK 2,947,267

SKYLIGHT MOUNTING Aug. 2, 1960 Filed Nov. 15. 1956 l i -M2 INVENTOR.

BY 42. d.

WAQM

SKYLIGHT MOUNTING Charles H. Stark, Waterville, Ohio, assignor to Owens- Illinois' Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Filed Nov. 15, 1956, Ser. No. 622,448 1 Claim. (Cl. 50-43) ite States atent sill surrounding the roof opening for support and retention of the skylighting element. Deficiencies encountered with the skylight periphery in vertical alignment with the supporting sill have been due to the rigid requirements of sill attachment to both roof and skylight to provide adequate Weather-tight seals. Also in the manufacture of skylights utilizing light-weight plastic materials for the light transmitting element, it has been necessary, because of the lightness and deformability of these materials, to employ complicated and expensive retention mechanisms for mounting and sealing the plastic element to the roof opening. Due to their complicated nature these mechanisms frequently do not lend themselves to a wide range of either skylights or roof openmgs.

Accordingly, .it is an object of this invention to provide an improved skylight assembly adaptable for use with a wide range of skylighting elements and roof openings.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved mounting construction for a glass dome skylight which facilitates installation of a skylight of prescribed dimensions in overlying and enclosing relationship to a variety of roof openings of similar shape having greater area than the skylight.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved mounting for a flanged glass skylighting dome for its retention within and overlying a roof opening of similar shape and greater area which mounting utilizes the unusual weight and strength characteristics of the dome to maintain weather-tight seals.

The specific nature of this invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the annexed sheet of drawings on w 'ch, by way of preferred example only, are illustrated the preferred embodiments of this invention.

On the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view partially in section of the skylight assembly in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of one portion of Fig. 1.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention a large glass dome 10'is utilized as the skylight element and comprises two concavo-convex viewing panels 11 and 12, each having a depending annular sealing flange 11a and 12a respectively extending from the periphery thereof, which flanges are united at their extremities into a central annular joint 15 by fusion or by utilization of a sealant for example. Viewing panels 11 and 12 may be circular or generally rectangular in shape with prismatic interior surfaces 16 which may be properly oriented for the purpose of light gathering and directing. Upper viewing panel, 11 and its surrounding flange 11a are fabricated with another exterior radial surrounding annular shoulder or flange 17 which serves to support and retain glass dome 10. Support flange 17 is comprised of essentially an integrally formed, right-angled ring attached to and formed with the upper side surfaces of dome 10 and has an annular sealing surface 17a coextensive with its lower portion.

An annular frusto-conical shaped curb 18 is mounted upon roof 19 with its lower and larger end surrounding and supported by the upper region surrounding roof opening 20. A telescopic tubular member 21 may be employed within roof opening 20 extending through the vertical dimension of roof 19 between the lower curb end and the underside of roof 19. Curb 18 may be formed of any conventional construction materials such as parallel sheet metal panels 22 and 23 joined at their upper and lower extremities and filled with an insulating material 24. The lower portion of curb 18 has a horizontal radial flange 25 in contact with roof 19 which serves as flashing and to direct its loading radially and divergent from roof opening 20.

The upper portion of curb 18 which constitutes its smaller end has an especially formed contour to support and restrain dome ll) centrally and interiorly of roof opening 29. The upper curb portion terminates in a substantially planar and horizontal supporting surface 26 which is bounded interiorly by a vertical annular ledge 27 and exteriorly by a continuous annular recess 29. Ledge 2'7 and recess 29 constitute inner and outer flashing sections around supporting surface 26 to resist the penetration of water.

A continuous annular gasket 30 is interposed between supporting surface 26 and dome sealing surface 17a with its inner portion also extending over and contiguous with interior ledge 27. Thus, gasket 30 and ledge 27 are able to firmly restrain dome 10 in position centered within roof opening 29 whereby the considerable weight of dome 1G is directed downwardly and outwardly parallel to the angular direction of the curb sidewalls. Gasket 30 is preferably composed of an impervious resilient gasketing material such as neoprene rubber having a considerable length of sealing life, although a neoprene and cork combination material may also be satisfactorily employed.

A continuous annular metal ring 28 is provided to surround the supporting and sealing surfaces of curb 18 and dome 10 respectively. Band 28 has an upper portion which tightly contacts the outer and upper peripherai areas of viewing panel flange 17 and a lower portion which is inwardly curved to contactingly engage within annular recess 29. Thus, ring 28 may be snapped down over dome 10 to permanently hold it in detachable engagement with curb 18. A layer of impervious water-proofing material (not shown) may be employed if necessary beneath the upper portion of band 28 to seal the same against flange 17.

Dome 10 may be simply removed by upwardly detaching annular band 28 from curb 18 and removing it from contact with upper viewing panel flange 17. Thus, dome 10 may be readily removed for cleaning, re-orientation, or replacement.

A protective grid 31 is mounted on an intermediate inner portion of curb 18 attached to inner panel 23 and is fully coextensive with dome 10. Grid 31 preferably comprises a wire-mesh of suflicient strength to retain pletely waterr'proof without the application or any additional caulking or water-proofing materials required in the sealing areas-when" the assembly is properly mounted.

By the avoidance of such materials it is readily apparent that the dome may be removed or replaced conveniently with a minimum of'eflort.

Various modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope or the appended claim.

1 claim:

A skylight construction for a roof opening comprising a hollow'sealed glass dome having oppositely disposed and integrally unitedtwin concavo-convex viewing panels and a depending radial flange, said flange projecting radially from an upper region of said dome providing a substantially horizontal annular sealing surface, a

'ruSto-conical shaped hollow annular curb having essentially the same contour at its upper smaller end as the sealing surface of said annular flange of said dome for support thereof and essentially the same contour at its lower larger end as said root opening for mounting 4 therearound, the interior'of. said hollow curb containing thermal insulating materiahsaid curb having a horizonal upper supporting surface arranged in underlying relationship beneath the sealing surface of said annular flange, an upwardly directed annular ledge portion on the interior of said supporting surface, an outwardly and downwardly directed flashing portion below said supporting surface and an annularvrecess disposed at an upper region of said curb, an annular resilient gasket interposed between said curb supporting surface coextensiv'eandin contact with said vertical ledge portion compressed in weathertight relation by the weight of said dome, and an annular retention band peripherally engaging the upper surface of the said annular flange of said dome and the said recessed upper exterior region of said annular curb.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 191,802 Howard June 12, 1877 989,440 Stutz 'Apr. 11, 1911 1,124,778 Meuler 'Jan. 12, 1915 1,286,508 Bernard Dec. '3, 1918 2,258,724 Wagner et a1. Oct. 714, .1941 2,610,593 Wasserman Sept. 16, 1952 2,703,060 1 Kiefer '-.."Mar. 1, 1955 the said"'flange sealing surface and i 

